Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Passes House

The House of Representatives today approved legislation to rectify a Supreme Court ruling that made it harder for Americans to pursue discrimination claims. The bill is among the first considered by the 111th Congress and passed by a 247 to 171 vote.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11) would clarify that every paycheck or other compensation resulting from an earlier discriminatory pay decision constitutes a violation of the Civil Rights Act. As long as workers file their charges within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck, their charges would be considered timely. This was the law prior to the Supreme Court’s May 2007 decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear.